Reversible tip-on machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for applying inserts to signatures to be gathered into books or magazines is provided with a reversible insert conveyor which can selectively orient either a leading or a trailing edge of an insert to coincide with the backbone edge of a corresponding signature. This allows multi-leaf inserts to be fed initially with a folded edge forward, and then re-oriented to position a free edge of one leaf along the backbone edge of an insert, whereby a fold-out multi-leaf insert is readily accommodated into the magazine.

United States Patent Edwards Dec. 4, 1973 [54] REVERSIBLE TIP-0N MACHINE3,162,434 12/1964 Hepp 270/57 3 3 19 k a] 5 [75] Inventor: William M.Edwards, West Milton, 91 10, 62 vol 5 ct 270/ 5 X Ohm PrimaryExaminer-Robert W. Michell [73] Assignee: The McCall Printing Company,Assistant Examiner-L. R. Oremland Dayton, Ohio Att0rneyLawrence B.Biebel et a1.

[22] Filed: Nov. 23, 1971 ABSTRACT Appl. No.: 201,364

[52] U.S. Cl. 270/53 [51] Int. Cl B42b 5/00 [58] Field of Search..270/53-55, 57

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,371,924 3/1968 Nelson eta] 270/53 2,017,191 10/1935 Whelan 271/3 A machine for applying insertsto signatures to be gathered into books or magazines is provided with areversible insert conveyor which can selectively orient either a leadingor a trailing edge of an insert to coincide with the backbone edge of acorresponding signature. This allows multi-leaf inserts to be fedinitially with a folded edge forward, and then re-oriented to position afree edge of one leaf along the backbone edge of an insert, whereby afold-out multi-leaf insert is readily accommodated into the magazine.

3 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PAIENTEUUEB 41815? SHEET 1 BF 2 INVE/V TORWILLIAM M. EDWARDS- A TTORNE Y5 PATENTED DEB M975 SHEET 2 BF 2 1REVERSIBLE TIP-ON MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The inventionrelates to machines for applying inserts which ultimately become part ofa bound magazine. It has bcome increasingly popular particularly inconnection with various advertising schemes, to add inserts, many ofwhich are of the removable type, as supplementary items in magazines.The most typical type of insert is an extra leaf or leaves, sometimesnot numbered according to the magazine pages, which are adhered to oneof the pages by gluing the leaf to a signature which is subsequentlygathered and bound into the magazine. As these inserts increase innumber and complexity, a number of them have been provided as two oreven three leaf fold-out inserts attached at one end to a particularsignature. They are initially contained within the maaazine, and whenopen folding out to twice or even more times the width of a page in amagazine.

In order to provdie the most convenient arrangement for attaching, andsubsequently detaching by the consumer, of these inserts, it has beenproposed that the edge of the insert leaf be glued to a given signaturewhich is bound into the magazine, and thus one of the folded portions ofa multiple leaf insert extends beyond the edge of the other parts, andis arranged to receive some adhesive. The insert is then joined alongthis extended edge to the signature.

Machines for applying inserts to magazines signatures are well known inthe trade, and have been used for a number of years, however thesemachines were designed to operate primarily with single leaf inserts. Atypical such machine is manufactured and sold by MagnacraftManufacturing Company, of Chicago, Illinois, and the machine is commonlyreferred to in the trade as a tip-on machine. In these machines,however, there is no adequate provision for the handling and applicationof multiple leaf folded inserts.

In a typical such tip-on machine, the supply or signatures to whichinserts are attached is placed in the feed hopper and the signatures arefed one at a time to a signature conveyor, with the signatures beingconveyed in a direction such that the folded edge is the leading orforemost edge as the signatures move on the conveyor. The insert sheetsare supplied from a separate hopper, and are conveyed past an adhesiveapplicator, and then placed onto the signatures on the signatureconveyor. Adhesive is applied along the edge of the insert whichultimately rests on or adjacent to the folded edge of the signature tobe bound into the backbone of the magazine. When it is desired to usemultiple leaf folded inserts, these can only conveniently be fed fromtheir supply hopper by feeding the folded edge first, otherwise thefeeding and conveying operation causes the inserts to open up and tanglein the mechanism. The orientation of the insert feeding conveyormechanism is such that in the ordinary machine the folded edge of theinsert will ultimately come to rest along the folded or backbone edge ofthe signature. This is satisfactory where it is desired to have theinsert adhered along its folded edge to the signature, and thus openalong the middle of the insert from the page of the magazine. However,where one edge of the entire multiple leaf insert is to be adhered tothe page, the orientation provided in the machine is opposite of what isneeded, and

these machines cannot perform the desired insert operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, theinsert conveyor is of a type which can be reversed in operation byrelatively simple changes made in its parts, whereby multiple leaffolded inserts can be presented to the adhesive applicator in oppositefrom the ordinary orientation, such that the adhesive is applied to anextending flap of the insert, and this flap in turn rests against and isadhered to the backbone section of the signature as the insert is movedonto the signature by the mechanism. The versatility of the tip-onmachine is thus increased, at relatively little cost, and the conversionfor purposes of reversing the orientation of the insert as it is fed canbe made quickly with little down time for purposes of adjusting andmaintenance of the machine.

It is accordingly the principal object of this invention to provide areversible tip-on machine for applying inserts to the signatures of amagazine, whereby the inserts may be supplied from the conventional feedhopper in the most convenient manner, and multiple leaf inserts can befed along their folded edge to avoid jamming, with the orientation ofthe inserts arranged such that either the initial leading folded edge ofthe insert may be applied to the backbone section of the signature, orif desired a free edge flap of the insert may be adhered to the backbonesection of the signature; another object of the invention is to providea mechanism for this purpose by which commercially available tip-onmachines may be modified to perform a function of reversing theorientation of the inserts prior to the application of the signatures.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, the accompanying drawings and the appendedclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic drawingsof the essential elements of a typical tip-on machine, with the insertconveying mechanism arranged for reversal of the orientation of theinserts;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the insert conveyingmechanism;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement of parts in aconventional tip-on machine, specifically in the insert feeding thereof;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the insert conveying mechanism shown inFIG. 1A providing a comparison with the ordinary insert conveyingmechanism shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective drawing of a two leaf folded insert, with anextending attachment flap as fed on the insert supply hopper in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 6 is a similar view of an insert showing its orientation as itpasses through the belts of the initial part of the insert conveyingmechanism;

FIG. 7 is a view showing the insert as it exits from the first or beltconveyor portion of the insert conveying mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a perspective showing its orientation as it moves onto thefinal insert conveying device, for presentation to the adhesive at theapplicator section;

FIG. 9 is a view of the insert as it passes through the adhesiveapplicator and moves toward the signature conveyor;

FIG. 10 is a view, located below FIG. 1B, showing the orientation of asignature on the signature conveyor; and

FIG. 11 is a view showing the extended edge flap of the two leaf foldedinsert adhered to the backbone sec tion of a signature.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1A, a hopper10 is shown diagrammatically, containing a quantity of inserts (FIG. tobe applied to signatures which ultimately are bound into a book ormagazine. The insert is of the multiple leaf type, as shown in FIG. 10,including a first leaf 12, a folded-under second leaf 13, and anextended edge or flap 14, which is adapted to be incorporated into thebackbone of the magazine. Referring to FIG. 1B, hopper contains aquantity of signatures (FIG. 10) containing first and second leaves 21and 22 joined at a folded edge 23 which is adapted to be bound into thebackbone of a magazine. It should be noted with respect to each of thehopper in each case that the orientation of the inserts and of thesignatures, respectively, is such that the folded edge of these piecesis the leading edge as they are fed from the hopper. As a practicalmatter, it is not feasible to feed a double folded piece of this kindwith the open edges of the piece foremost, thus operating expediencyrequires that in each case the folded edge of the piece be the leadingedge as the piece moves from the hopper.

In this particular instance, it is desired to combine the two leafinsert with the signature such that the flap 14 lies along the edge 23of the signature, and thus is fastened into the backbone of themagazine. If desired, the insert may include a score or perforation 15,along which the insert may ultimately be separated from the remainder ofthe magazine, if this is the desire. For example, in some advertising orpromotional schemes, the two leaf folded insert may be a tear-out piece,in which part or all of the insert is returned to the advertiser. Thecombined insert and signature is shown in FIG. 10.

Referring again to FIG. 18, a conventional vacuum gripper feed wheel 25takes the signatures from the hopper 10, one at a time, and transfersthem to a conventional signature supply belt conveyor, which comprisesan upper feed belt 27 and a lower feed belt 28, guided around and drivenby appropriate corresponding rollers 27a, b, c and 28a, b, c, as shown.The belts come together forming a nip at 30, and the belts traveltogether from this nip down to the central region of the lower flight ofthe belt 27, where the belts separate at roller 28c and the signaturemoves from the supply conveyor as indicated by the arrow 32 onto themain insert conveyor 35. This conveyor is also of a conventional type,and preferably is constructed (see FIG. 1A also) of one or more chains36 extending around and driven by sprocket 27 at its opposite ends, andcarrying spaced pusher members or lugs 38 which in effect define pocketsbetween them on the surface of the chains to push the individualsignatures along the conveyor to its discharge, indicated by arrow 39 inFIG. 1A. In the process of this movement, the signatures are carriedpast an insert applicator cylinder 40 which is 10- cated at a stationalong the upper flight of signature conveyor 65 where individual insertpieces are applied to the individual signatures, with proper orientationof both pieces.

Referring to FIG. 3, the schematic representation shown therein is of atypical insert feeding arrangement wherein the flap 14 of a doublefolded insert is the trailing edge, and the folded leading edge of theinsert is taken by vacuum grip feed wheel 25 and carried onto aconventional insert supply belt conveyor having an upper belt member 27and a lower belt 28 which cooperate to take the inserts and dischargethem at a lower level, as shown, with the free flap l4 trailing and theinserts moving generally as indicated by the arrow 48. This is theconventional orientation of the insert feed conveyor, as presently usedon the conventional tipon machines mentioned at the beginning of thisspecification.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the insert is shown leaving the hopper in thesame position, with the flap 14 trailing, and the vacuum grip feeder 25(also shown in FIG. 1A) is shown taking the inserts one at a time withthe folded edge leading, and transferring the inserts to a novel insertfeed conveyor arrangement which ultimately delivers the insert with theflap 14 in the leading position, as shown in FIG. 4 with the directionof movement indicated by the arrow 46. The conveyor mechanism includesthree belts guided by rollers as shown; an upper belt 27A (same as 27 inFIG. 3) cooperates with the lower belt 28A to form a receiving nip 53into which the insert is delivered from the vacuum grip feeder 25. Thesebelts move together up to the region of the roller 27c, where the upperbelt 27A departs the lower belt. The lower belt is longer than, andsubstitutes for, belt 28. An intermediate belt 55 also extends along thepath where the belts 27A and 28A move in common, and the belt 55continues adjacent the lower belt 28A past the roller 27c to an exitpoint at roller 28d where the belts 28A and 55 depart from each otherand the insert is guided, with its folded edge leading, generally in thedirection indicated by arrow 56. This arrow is also shown in FIG. 1A,and the orientation of the insert is shown in FIG. 6.

The detail drawing in FIG. 2 indicates the arrangement of one or moreadjustable hook-shaped guides 60 which include a mounting extension 61fastened into a bracket 62 that is clamped onto a stationary crossmember 63. The inserts carried between belts 28A and 55 pass into theturn defined by the hook-shaped guides 60, thus the folded leading edgeof the insert is directed to move reversely from the normal arrangementshown in FIG. 3.

The inserts pass onto main insert conveyor 35, in reverse fashion onconveyor 35, as shown in FIG. 8. The conveyor 35 carries the insertsforward, left to right, as viewed in FIG. 1A, into the nip between apair of feeding rolls and 71, which in turn pass the inserts between theinsert applicator cylinder 40 and a further guide roller 72. Thecylinder 40 may include conventional grippers (not shown) to engage theleading edge of the insert and carry it along the periphery of thecylinder, or it may employ vacuum gripping devices. As the insert is somoved by the cylinder 40, a gluing device in the form of one or morerotating bars applies at least one spot or strip of glue to the flap 14of the insert. The glue on the spotting bar or bars 75 is replenishedfrom a roller 77 rotating in a quantity of suitable glue or adhesivewithin a shallow tank 78.

At this point, as previously mentioned, the insert is moving with theflap 14 as the leading edge, having been reversed in position and thefolded edge of the insert (which previously was leading) having beenpicked up by an appropriate one of the lugs 38 in the insert conveyor35. As the insert moves around the insert cylinder 40, and glue isapplied to the flap 14, the position of the insert is generally as shownin FIG. 9. The cylinder 40 brings the insert onto a signature movingalong the signature conveyor 65 with its folded edge 23 foremost (FIG.pushed by lugs 68, and the flap I4 is adhered to the folded edge of thesignature, thus securing the two pieces as they discharged at 69 forsubsequent binding into a magazine with the insert in proper orientationfor folding outward from the leaf or open edge of the magazine, and forsubsequent removal if desired.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention whichis defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for applying inserts to signatures intended forgathering into books or magazines,

said machine having a signature conveyor arranged to carry individualsignatures along a predetermined path with the backbone edge of thesignatures all in the same alignment,

supply means for inserts to be attached to each of said signatures,

means for feedng the inserts singly from said supply means each in apredetermined alignment, and

an adhesive applicator located in spaced relation to said supply meansfor applying an adhesive to secure each insert to a correspondingsignature;

an insert conveyor located between said insert feeding means and saidadhesive applying means,

said insert conveyor accepting the inserts in said predeterminedalignment and discharging the inserts at a first discharge location tosaid adhesive applying means;

the improvement comprising:

additional insert conveyor means selectively cooperable with said insertconveyor to receive the inserts and carry them to a second dischargelocation,

and said insert conveyor means including at said second dischargelocation guide means reversing the movement of the inserts front to rearwith respect to the alignment of the inserts as received from saidfeeding means whereby either the leading or trailing edge of the insertsas accepted from said feeding means can be made to coincide with thebackbone edge of signatures on said signature conveyor.

2. A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said supply means is a hopperand the inserts are folded multileaf inserts fed serially from saidhopper with folded edge foremost, said insert conveyor means includingremovable and alternatively used belt members operable to carry theinserts to said second discharge location.

3. In a reversible tip-on machine for applying folded inserts to thesignatures of a magazine whereby the insert is attached to the finishedmagazine only through a single leaf, comprising a signature conveyor forcarrying individual signatures along a path with the folded backboneedge of each signature in the same alignment,

a supply hopper for folded inserts and feeding means for removing theinserts from said hopper with the folded edge foremost,

means for applying adhesive to an edge of said inserts at a locationadjacent said signature conveyor, and

insert conveyor means receiving the folded inserts from said feedingmeans and moving the inserts along a first feed path with the foldededge foremost past said adhesive applying means and onto the signaturescarried on said signature conveyor; the improvement comprising areversing section selectively connectable to said insert conveyor meansproviding an alternate feed path for the inserts in which the feedingmotion of the inserts is reversed end for end such that the feedingmotion of the inserts continues with the free edge of the insert inposition to receive adhesive and subsequently to attach to the foldededge of the signatures.

1. In a machine for applying inserts to signatures intended forgathering into books or magazines, said machine having a signatureconveyor arranged to carry individual signatures along a predeterminedpath with the backbone edge of the signatures all in the same alignment,supply means for inserts to be attached to each of said sIgnatures,means for feedng the inserts singly from said supply means each in apredetermined alignment, and an adhesive applicator located in spacedrelation to said supply means for applying an adhesive to secure eachinsert to a corresponding signature; an insert conveyor located betweensaid insert feeding means and said adhesive applying means, said insertconveyor accepting the inserts in said predetermined alignment anddischarging the inserts at a first discharge location to said adhesiveapplying means; the improvement comprising: additional insert conveyormeans selectively cooperable with said insert conveyor to receive theinserts and carry them to a second discharge location, and said insertconveyor means including at said second discharge location guide meansreversing the movement of the inserts front to rear with respect to thealignment of the inserts as received from said feeding means wherebyeither the leading or trailing edge of the inserts as accepted from saidfeeding means can be made to coincide with the backbone edge ofsignatures on said signature conveyor.
 2. A machine as defined in claim1 wherein said supply means is a hopper and the inserts are foldedmulti-leaf inserts fed serially from said hopper with folded edgeforemost, said insert conveyor means including removable andalternatively used belt members operable to carry the inserts to saidsecond discharge location.
 3. In a reversible tip-on machine forapplying folded inserts to the signatures of a magazine whereby theinsert is attached to the finished magazine only through a single leaf,comprising a signature conveyor for carrying individual signatures alonga path with the folded backbone edge of each signature in the samealignment, a supply hopper for folded inserts and feeding means forremoving the inserts from said hopper with the folded edge foremost,means for applying adhesive to an edge of said inserts at a locationadjacent said signature conveyor, and insert conveyor means receivingthe folded inserts from said feeding means and moving the inserts alonga first feed path with the folded edge foremost past said adhesiveapplying means and onto the signatures carried on said signatureconveyor; the improvement comprising a reversing section selectivelyconnectable to said insert conveyor means providing an alternate feedpath for the inserts in which the feeding motion of the inserts isreversed end for end such that the feeding motion of the insertscontinues with the free edge of the insert in position to receiveadhesive and subsequently to attach to the folded edge of thesignatures.